Sport - Cricket

Lee keen to make amends

Melbourne: The last time India toured Australia, Brett Lee was made largely ineffective by the Indian top-order but the speedster says he has “forgotten” that experience and is ready to lock horns again.

In the 2003-04 series which ended in a 1-1 draw, Lee was thrust into the role of a leader of the bowling attack in the absence of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne but his two Tests produced just eight wickets for 476 runs at 59.50.

“I actually had forgotten about that until now, so thanks for bringing it up,” Lee said when asked if revenge may motivate him this summer.

The fast bowler rated the Indian top-order the biggest challenge to the Australian bowlers, nominating the usual ones — Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and V.V.S. Laxman — and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni — “probably the hardest hitter of the ball I’ve ever seen in my life, a guy who can clear the pickets at will” — as the main threats.

“They’re great batsmen to bowl against and, if you want to improve your cricket, you always put yourself against the best and that’s the Indian batsmen,” Lee told The Age.

“We’ve definitely got our work cut out but we have got a great side,” Lee said while acknowledging a big hole at the heart of the Australian side this year.

“In the hard Test matches, we’ve always thought we can turn to Glenn McGrath or Shane Warne. But now we haven’t got that. We are looking to guys like Clark or Mitchell Johnson, if he gets the opportunity, or MacGill, or whoever it might be,” he said.

While he was non-committal about who should play as a third quick alongside Clark and him, Lee said that Johnson was the favourite to make his Test debut against Sri Lanka at Brisbane on November 8.

“Mitchell’s been really, really impressive. He’s probably been the bowler of the tour of the last South African and Indian series,” Lee said. “When he’s had his opportunity to bowl with the new ball, he has always done well.”

Despite being thrust into a leadership role by McGrath’s retirement, Lee does not foresee his role changing.

“I’m not going to go out there and try to be a different bowler. I’m out there trying to take wickets, to help the guys and try to bowl in partnerships,” he said. Lee is pleased to be playing Test cricket for the first time since January.

“Test cricket is a test of character, a test of courage. It’s a test of a person’s mental strength as well. It’s not over in 20 overs, it’s not over in 50 overs. This is about going out there and playing five days of solid cricket,” Lee said. — PTI

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